What To See And Do In Vancouver, Canada!

Vancouver is a city unlike anywhere else I’ve been. Vancouver has it all – city, mountains and the sea, which pretty much means it has something for everybody. Whether you are in Vancouver for a day or a week here are my recommendations for things to do before you leave.

EVERYTHING TO SEE AND DO IN VANCOUVER

GRANVILLE ISLAND

This little island gem, which is only a short walk out of the city, is filled with boutique stores, galleries, buskers and incredible food markets. Be sure to visit during the weekend when locals and tourists alike converge, creating a brilliant atmosphere around the place. Be sure to go with an empty stomach as their is so much delicious foods to sample. I sampled a delicious Raspberry Lemonade Sorbet from a little store with ‘The Gelato Store’ written simply on the side ( I don’t know if this was it’s actual name). Granville Island Brewery, a very popular brand of beers and lagers in Canada, can be found here as well. Be sure to sit around and listen to the buskers, relax and admire the view. Hopefully you’ll be as lucky as me and spot a Seal playing in the sea too.

STANLEY PARK

This stunning, 1000 acre public park borders the downtown of Vancouver city and is almost entirely surrounded by waters of Vancouver Harbour and English Bay. Stanley park, which is 200 acres larger than New Yorks Central park, is one of the cities main tourist destinations and boasts everything from tennis courts, a pool and waterpark, playgrounds and even the biggest aquarium in Canada. We hired bikes for the day which was the perfect way to see the sights. Their are many beaches along the way if you feel like a dip in the harbour. The park also boats incredible views of the city so be sure to take your camera!

VANCOUVER AQUARIUM

The largest Aquarium in all of Canada, situated in the middle of stunning Stanley Park Vancouver Aquarium should definitely go on your list of things to see and do. We loved the Jellyfish displays the best. If you are spending the day in Stanley Park this is also a good option for a lunch stop. The Cafes sold a variety of foods at a very reasonable price.

EAT, EAT AND EAT SOME MORE

Vancouver has some pretty awesome places to eat. It also has some of the cheapest Sushi in all of Canada. Downtown Vancouver has a Sushi restaurant on every corner but if you want the best value then make your way to the incredibly popular ‘Samurai Sushi’, where we waited thirty minutes for a table. The quality of Sushi is average but the portions are massive and the prices are super cheap. Normally I’d have about 4 sushi rolls myself, we ordered five to share, thinking we’d try them out and order more later if we needed. We couldn’t even finish three rolls- sharing!

Also, if you have never tried Canadas national dish of Poutine (fries, cheese curds and gravy – it’s AMAZING) be sure to try this during your time in Vancouver. Vancouver has multiple restaurants that specialise in Poutine varieties. We visited ‘La Belle Patate,’ which means the beautiful potato.

These were my favourite things to see and do during my two days in Vancouver and I feel like I saw the main highlights. If you have more time try and make it out to Lynn Canyon, Grouse Mountain & the Capilano Suspension Bridge also.

Over to you. What were your highlights of Vancouver? Let me know in the comments below!

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A full-time traveller since 2009 I have spent the last eight years exploring ALL seven continents of this beautiful world on a backpackers budget.
I'm a little bit too obsessed with taking photos, trying new foods and all things Harry Potter.